Unto this much is not spoken among Divines, some speak of a sentence before the Angels, as if God did declare before them who is righteous; but this I think is altogether unscriptural: others speak of a sentence in conscience, but this is but the manifestation of justification. Let us first distinguish of justification, and then answer. There is a double justification, constitutive justification, whereby God maketh us just in this life; sentential justification, whereby God pronounces us just at death and judgment. Constitutive justification is the foundation of sentential, for the true God will not pronounce us just unless we are such, and sentential justification is the compleature of constitutive: For here ⟨p. 208⟩there is sententia judicis crowning us as righteous; the Quaere then being touching constitutive justification in this life, I conceive with worthy Mr. Baxter, that God justifies a believer by the moral agency of the Gospel, by which as by his Grand Charter and Law of grace, he doth make over Christ and his righteousness to the believer, neither need this seem strange, every humane instrument doth, moraliter agere. A Princes pardon conveys an impunity, a Charter an estate, a Law a title or right, a Testament a Legacy, and shall not the Gospel do as much to believers? God doth constitutivè justify the believer by making him righteous, and makes him righteous by making over to him the righteousness of Christ, and that he makes over by the Gospel, which is his Pardon, Charter, Law and Testament of grace, conveying the same upon believing: no sooner doth a man believe, but the conditional promise becomes absolute. As the old Covenant running, do this and live, would have justified upon perfect obedience, so the New running, believe and be saved, doth justify upon believing, as man sinning is condemned by the Law of works, so man believing is justified by the Law of grace. Hence the Gospel is called, the ministration of righteousness as the Law is of condemnation, 2 Cor. 3.9. the power of God to salvation to the believer, Rom. 1.16. quia nos per Evangelium justisicat Deus, because God justifies us by the Gospel, as Reverend ⟨p. 209⟩Calvin hath it on the 17th. verse, Virga virtutis, A rod of strength, Psal 110.2. that is, in the Justification of men, saith the excellent Dr. Reynolds;
Unto this much is not spoken among Divines, some speak of a sentence before the Angels, as if God did declare before them who is righteous; but this I think is altogether unscriptural: others speak of a sentence in conscience, but this is but the manifestation of justification. Let us first distinguish of justification, and then answer. There is a double justification, constitutive justification, whereby God maketh us just in this life; sentential justification, whereby God pronounces us just at death and judgment. Constitutive justification is the foundation of sentential, for the true God will not pronounce us just unless we are such, and sentential justification is the compleature of constitutive: For here ⟨p. 208⟩there is sententia judicis crowning us as righteous; the Quaere then being touching constitutive justification in this life, I conceive with worthy Mr. Baxter, that God justifies a believer by the moral agency of the Gospel, by which as by his Grand Charter and Law of grace, he doth make over Christ and his righteousness to the believer, neither need this seem strange, every humane instrument doth, moraliter agere. A Princes pardon conveys an impunity, a Charter an estate, a Law a title or right, a Testament a Legacy, and shall not the Gospel do as much to believers? God doth constitutivè justifie the believer by making him righteous, and makes him righteous by making over to him the righteousness of Christ, and that he makes over by the Gospel, which is his Pardon, Charter, Law and Testament of grace, conveying the same upon believing: no sooner doth a man believe, but the conditional promise becomes absolute. As the old Covenant running, do this and live, would have justified upon perfect obedience, so the New running, believe and be saved, doth justifie upon believing, as man sinning is condemned by the Law of works, so man believing is justified by the Law of grace. Hence the Gospel is called, the ministration of righteousness as the Law is of condemnation, 2 Cor. 3.9. the power of God to salvation to the believer, Rom. 1.16. quia nos per Evangelium justisicat Deus, because God justifies us by the Gospel, as Reverend ⟨p. 209⟩Calvin hath it on the 17th. verse, Virga virtutis, A rod of strength, Psal 110.2. that is, in the Justification of men, saith the excellent Dr. Reynolds;
